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Front cover at Astor Place Subway Station.
Photo: Jerry Abramowtiz. |
Billy Joel's fourth solo album Turnstiles, released in 1976, marked an important turning point in his progression as a songwriter and in his career. In the preceding years from 1971 to 1975, Los Angeles-based producers had tried to mold him into the next great "singer-songwriter" surrounding him with session musicians on his albums. They failed to recognize that Billy was much more than that. In 1975, Billy left the Los Angeles music scene to return to his roots, to New York. He did so after reading the famous Daily News headline "Ford To City: Drop Dead," referring to the federal government's decision to not provide financial assistance to a cash-strapped New York City. A proud New Yorker, Billy returned to his home state and city. The move prompted some of his most inspiring songs including "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "Summer, Highland Falls," and the classic "New York State of Mind."
After using studio musicians on his first three albums, Billy wanted to use his "own guys" for Turnstiles, the guys who knew the material first-hand and had toured with him night after night (Liberty DeVitto, Russell Javors, Doug Stegmeyer, Howie Emerson, and Richie Cannata). But Columbia executives and Caribou management preferred that Billy work with Elton John's band. Billy tried briefly, even recording sessions at Caribou Ranch in Colorado, but it did not work in Billy's mind and ears. So he went into Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, New York with his own guys and produced Turnstiles himself. |
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While Billy may not be a world-class producer, he made the right move. The songs on Turnstiles have an integrity and cohesiveness that was sometimes missing on his prior albums. Later on 1981's Songs In The Attic, Billy would re-release live versions of four songs from Turnstiles ("Miami 2017," "Summer, Highland Falls," "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "You're My Home," and "I've Loved These Days"), imbuing them with even more energy and vitality.
Turnstiles may represent his best album lyrically too. As Damon Linker wrote in a 2014 article in The Week, "Let Us Now Praise Billy Joel":
Although not a commercial hit, Turnstiles is one Billy's best albums, marking his return to New York, signaling his independence, and foreshadowing the themes and styles that would make The Stranger and 52nd Street such huge successes. Some fans and critics consider Turnstiles to be Billy's best album, even better than The Stranger, at least from a lyrical and musical point of view, even if the production was not as sophisticated as the Billy Joel albums produced by Phil Ramone. It is probably his most underrated album. So many faces in and out of my life Billy went on an extended tour to promote Turnstiles, giving some of his best live performances and culminating in three sold-out shows at New York's fabled Carnegie Hall in June 1977. One of Billy's Carnegie Hall shows was recorded and several songs released as Live At Carnegie Hall with the 35th Anniversary Edition of The Stranger. It was at these Carnegie Hall shows that producer Phil Ramone heard Billy and his band live for an extended period, and became interested in working with him. Soon thereafter they collaborated on The Stranger.
Billy and his management group also released a live concert video on VHS, Billy Joel Tonight, a recording of his concerts on December 5 and 6, 1976 at the Palmer Auditorium at Connecticut College. These concerts were recorded before The Stranger was released, and the VHS features Billy performing ten of his earlier songs. The video was released by Time Life Video but has long been out of print, and hard to find. Four of the songs recorded at these concerts were put on a promotional album entitled Souvenir, which also had studio versions of some songs. Another concert from October 2, 1976 at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey was recorded on video and can be seen here, albeit the video quality is poor and it cuts off at the end. Billy entertains the audience not only with song, but with his sense of humor. * * * * * The photos for the Turnstiles album cover were shot at the The Astor Place subway station at 8th Street and Fourth Avenue in New York.* The people on the cover are meant to symbolize or represent the songs on the album. The dressy couple on the left symbolize "I've Loved These Days." The African American man in the back symbolizes "Prelude/Angry Young Man," the man with the books in his arms represents "James." The girl with the headphones on her head (the 1970s version of earbuds) symbolizes "All You Wanna Do Is Dance." The man in the leather jacket and travel bag symbolizes "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." And the grandmother and her son (which is actually Billy's stepson Sean) symbolizes "Miami 2017." Credit goes to Bob Egan of Popspots for finding and photographing the locations of Billy Joel's album covers.
* * * * * Legendary DJ Allison Steele also interviewed Billy in 1976 after Turnstiles (click on "Video & Audio" tab above) and Billy was interviewed on WNEW just a week before his June 1977 Carnegie Hall concert and before recording The Stranger.
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Billy Joel (1976). Photo by Michael Putland.
The famous Daily News headline which prompted Billy to return to New York.
Billy at The Bottom Line (1976)
Billy and band at Caribou Ranch. Photo: Richie Cannata.
"It's either sadness or euphoria"
Turnstiles back cover (1976)
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Songs
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1. Say Goodbye to Hollywood (4:36)
2. Summer, Highland Falls (3:15) 3. All You Wanna Do Is Dance (3:40) 4. New York State of Mind (5:58) 5. James (3:53) 6. Prelude/Angry Young Man (5:17) 7. I've Loved These Days (4:31) 8. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) (5:12) |
Spotify
Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Bobby's drivin' through the city tonight
Through the lights in a hot new rent-a-car
He joins the lovers in his heavy machine
It's a scene down on Sunset Boulevard
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Johnny's takin' care of things for a while
And his style is so right for troubadours
They got him sitting with his back to the door
Now he won't be my fast gun anymore
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Movin' on is a chance
You take any time you try to stay together
Say a word out of line
And you find that the friends you had
Are gone forever, forever
So many faces in and out of my life
Some will last some will just be now and then
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Movin' on is a chance you take
Any time you try to stay, together, whoa
Say a word out of line
And you find that the friends you had
Are gone forever, forever
So many faces in and out of my life
Some will last, some will just be now and then
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Summer, Highland Falls
They say that these are not the best of times
But they're the only times I've ever known
And I believe there is a time for meditation
In cathedrals of our own
Now, I have seen that sad surrender in my lover's eyes
And I can only stand apart and sympathize
For we are always what our situations hand us
It's either sadness or euphoria
So we'll argue and we'll compromise
And realize that nothing's ever changed
For all our mutual experience,
Our separate conclusions are the same
Now we are forced to recognize our inhumanity
Our reason coexists with our insanity
And though we choose between reality and madness
It's either sadness or euphoria
How thoughtlessly we dissipate our energies
Perhaps we don't fulfill each other's fantasies
And as we stand upon the ledges of our lives,
With our respective similarities
It's either sadness or euphoria
All You Wanna Do Is Dance
Oh, baby, you don't get turned on by the radio
Oh, baby, you got nothing to play on your stereo
“Why don't the Beatles get back together?”
“Why don't nobody sing of romance?”
Oh, baby, all you wanna do is dance
Oh, baby, I think you are lost in the Seventies
Oh, baby, “The music she ain't what she used to be”
You don't understand what they're saying,
You've given it every chance
Oh, baby, all you wanna do is dance
Well you wish you were back in the good old daysv
When tomatoes were cheaper
And you never heard the words of your favorite songs
Through a three inch speaker
And you never messed around with dangerous drugs
You were all getting sick on beer
And you didn't get any unless you went steady
and made out for a year
Well you can hide away honey in your rock ‘n roll dreams
And you can stand by your blue suede shoes
But the party is over and
I'm getting tired of waiting for you
Oh, baby, “Where are the oldies they used to play?”
Oh, baby, you want to crawl back into yesterday
You don't want to deal with the future
You don't want to make any plans
Oh, baby, all you wanna do is dance
Oh, baby, all you wanna do is dance
New York State of Mind
Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood
But I'm taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I'm in a New York state of mind
I've seen all the movie stars
In their fancy cars and their limousines
Been high in the Rockies under the evergreens
But I know what I’m needing
And I don't want to waste more time
I'm in a New York state of mind
It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and blues
But now I need a little give and take
The New York Times, The Daily News
It comes down to reality
Well it's fine with me ‘cause I've let it slide
Don't care if it's Chinatown or on Riverside
I don’t have any reasons
I've left them all behind
I'm in a New York state of mind
It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and blues
But now I need a little give and take
The New York Times, The Daily News
It comes down to reality
Well it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide
I don’t care if it's Chinatown or on Riversidev
I don’t have any reasons
I’ve left them all behind
I’m in a New York state of mind
I'm just taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line
‘Cause I'm in a New York state of mind
James
James, we were always friends
From our childhood days
And we made our plans
And we had to go our separate ways.
I went on the road,
You pursued an education.
James, do you like your life?
Can you find release?
And will you ever change?
Will you ever write your masterpiece?
Are you still in school?
Living up to expectations?
James, you were so relied upon
Everybody knows how hard you tried.
Hey, oh, look at what a job you've done
Carrying the weight of family pride.
James, you've been well behaved
You've been working hard
But will you always stay
Someone else's dream of who you are?
Do what's good for you
Or you're not good for anybody
James
I went on the road,
You pursued an education.
James, how you gonna know for sure?
Everything was so well organized.
Hey, oh, now everything is so secure
And everybody else is satisfied.
James, do you like your life?
Can you find release?
And will you ever change?
When will you write your masterpiece?
Do what's good for you
Or you're not good for anybody
James
Prelude, Angry Young Man
There's a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
And he's always at home with his back to the wall
And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
And he likes to be known as the angry young man
Give a moment or two to the angry young man
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand
He's been stabbed in the back, he's been misunderstood
It's a comfort to know his intentions are good
And he sits in a room with a lock on the door
With his maps and his medals laid out on the floor
And he likes to be known as the angry young man
I believe I've passed the age
Of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight
I once believed in causes too
I had my pointless point of view
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right
There's always a place for the angry young man,
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand
And he's never been able to learn from mistakes
So he can't understand why his heart always breaks
And his honor is pure and his courage as well
And he's fair and he's true and he's boring as hell
And he'll go to the grave as an angry old man
And there's always a place for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plansv
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
And he's always at home with his back to the wall
And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.
I’ve Loved These Days
Now we take our time so nonchalant
And spend our nights so bon vivant
We dress our days in silken robes
The money comes the money goes
We know it's all a passing phase
We light our lamps for atmosphere
And hang our hopes on chandeliers
We're going wrong we're gaining weight
We're sleeping long and far too late
And so it's time to change our ways
But I've loved these days
Now as we indulge in things refined
We hide our hearts from harder times
A string of pearls, a foreign car
Oh we can only go so far
On caviar and cabernet
We drown our doubts in dry champagne
And soothe our souls with fine cocaine
I don't know why I even care
We get so high and get nowhere
We'll have to change our jaded ways
But I've loved these days
So, before we end and then begin
We'll drink a toast to how it's been
A few more hours to be complete
A few more nights on satin sheets
A few more times that I can say
I've loved these days
Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
I've seen the lights go out on Broadway
I saw the Empire State laid low
And life went on beyond the Palisades
They all bought Cadillacs
And left there long ago
We held a concert out in Brooklyn
To watch the Island bridges blow
They turned our power down
And drove us underground
But we went right on with the show
I've seen the lights go out on Broadway
I saw the ruins at my feet
You know we almost didn't notice it
We'd seen it all the time on 42nd Street
They burned the churches up in Harlem
Like in that Spanish Civil War
The flames were everywhere
But no one really cared
It always burned up there before
I've seen the lights go down on Broadway
I watched the mighty skyline fall.
The boats were waiting at the Battery
The union went on strike
They never sailed at all
They sent a carrier out from Norfolk
And picked the Yankees up for free
They said that Queens could stay
They blew the Bronx away
And sank Manhattan out at sea
You know those lights were bright on Broadway
But that was so many years ago
Before we all lived here in Florida
Before the Mafia took over Mexico
There are not many who remember
They say a handful still survive
To tell the world about
The way the lights went out
And keep the memory alive
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Click on title to open song page in new window.
1. Say Goodbye to Hollywood (4:36) 2. Summer, Highland Falls (3:15) 3. All You Wanna Do Is Dance (3:40) 4. New York State of Mind (5:58) (Note: The video of "New York State of Mind" uses the version of the song from Greatest Hits, Vols. I & II, rather than from Turnstiles which has the original sax solo by Richie Cannata. To hear the original version with Cannata's solo, click here. |
5. James (3:53) 6. Prelude/Angry Young Man (5:17) 7. I've Loved These Days (4:31) 8. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) (5:12) |
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Apple Music
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YouTube & Others
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Interviews & Features
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1. Billy discusses Turnstiles from The Complete Albums collection (2011)
2. On The Mike Douglas Show: Interview & "New York State of Mind" (1976) 3. Interview on Countdown (1976) 4. Sony Legacy Records Archives - Turnstiles promo, 1 of 2 (1976) 5. Sony Legacy Records Archives - Turnstiles promo, 2 of 2 (1976) 6. Interview from WarmerBros. (1976) 7. Billy on Turnstiles - SiriusXM (2016) 8. Bob Egan of PopspotsNYC discusses the Turnstiles album cover. |
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Biographies In Contemporary Music (1976). Legendary DJ Allison Steele profiles and interviews Billy Joel soon after Turnstiles was released. This is a radio interview, and I've added photos and videos.
Steele's full interview with Billy is posted YouTube, albeit it is difficult to hear Steele's questions. Excerpts from it were used in the "Biographies In Contemporary Music" profile. |
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Live Performances
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Television Appearances. Billy appeared on The Mike Douglas Show in August 1976. He sang "Prelude/Angry Young Man," "New York State of Mind," and "The Entertainer" (deleted).
This is followed by performance music videos for "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" and "James" from 1976. |
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Live at Connecticut College. Live concert from June 1976 soon after Turnstiles was released in May. This video was released as "Billy Joel Tonight" or "An Evening With Billy Joel." Features ten songs.
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Live at the Bottom Line (June 10, 1976)
(audio only) This is a live broadcast concert from WNEW. For years, a bootleg of this was sold but was at the wrong (high) speed. This versions is apparently at the correct speed. This is an excellent concert. Billy pretends that special guests Joe Cocker and Bruce Springsteen have stopped by, doing imitations of them starting at 55:45. Thanks to Ess-Hulk for posting this. See setlist here. |
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Live at the Capitol Theater (October 2, 1976). This is a concert from the Turnstiles tour. It cuts off in the middle of "The Entertainer." I added the remaining songs by using clips of other live versions of those songs from 1976-1978.
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Live at CW Post (Greenvale) (May 1977) (audio only). This is a radio broadcast of a concert at C.W. Post Long Island University. Billy and the band were in fine form that night and rocked it. The concert took place a few months before the release of The Stranger, but Billy played some songs that would be on that album. Many fans consider this his best recorded concert. This was a popular bootleg for many years and then it was released digitally only in 2019 as Greenvale 1977.
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Live at Carnegie Hall (June 3, 1977) (audio). Billy concluded the Turnstiles tour with three sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall in June 1977. He played several songs from Turnstiles and previewed two songs from The Stranger which would be released in late September 1977. A CD of the concert was released in 2008 with The Stranger Legacy Edition.
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But much of the time his lyrics are perfectly respectable and packed solid with smart-ass attitude and instantly memorable turns of phrase. And occasionally — the best example is 1976's Turnstiles — they achieve something greater. I can think of no album of the mid-'70s that does a better job of distilling that moment's gloomy, wistful mood and transfiguring it into art.
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Ultimate Classic Rock
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Tracks
1. Say Goodbye to Hollywood (4:36) 2. Summer, Highland Falls (3:15) 3. All You Wanna Do Is Dance (3:40) 4. New York State of Mind (5:58) 5. James (3:53) 6. Prelude/Angry Young Man (5:17) 7. I've Loved These Days (4:31) 8. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) (5:12) Background Released: May 19, 1976 Recorded: January -February 1976 Ultra Sonic Studios, Hempstead, New York Genre: Pop/Rock Length: 36:22 Label: Columbia/Family Productions Producer: Billy Joel Production Supervisor: John Bradley Words and Music by Billy Joel |
Personnel
Basic tracks arranged by the rhythm section: Billy Joel – Keyboards and Vocals Doug Stegmeyer – Bass Guitar Liberty DeVitto – Drums Brian Ruggles - Basic Track Consultant Howie Emerson – Electric and Acoustic Guitars Russell Javors – Electric and Acoustic Guitars James Smith – Acoustic Guitar Recorded at Ultra Sonic Studios, Hempstead, New York Engineer - John Bradley |
Orchestral arrangements by Ken Ascher, Recorded at Columbia Recording Studios, 30th Street, NY Tape Engineer - Lou Waxman Engineer - Don Pulse Overdubs at Caribou Recording Studios, Nederland, CO Mingo Lewis – Percussion Richie Cannata – Saxophone Mixed at Caribou Recording Studios by Bruce Botnick Project coordinated by Jo Buckley. Album produced in association with Home Run. Cover Design - John Berg Cover Photograph - Jerry Abramowitz |
Videos on the Turnstiles album cover
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Bob Egan of PopspotsNYC discusses the Turnstiles album cover. See Egan's complete analysis of the cover here. |
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Billy discusses the Turnstiles album cover and which song each person(s) represented. The young boy on the cover is Billy's stepson, Sean.
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Tom Tierney, Director of the Sony Music Archives, discusses the early development of Turnstiles and the album cover. |
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Billy Joel Completely Retold visits the site of the Turnstiles album cover. |
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Tom Tierney, Director of the Sony Music Archives, reviews various Billy Joel album covers including Turnstiles at 1:25. |
